Learning in Progress

Times Machine—Bring Social Studies to Life! Instead of just reading about the sinking of the Titanic or the end of World War I in your Social Studies text book, send students out to explore what The New York Times was reporting about it.   The Times Machine, part of The New York Times website is set up to allow you to easily travel back in time to September 8, 1851 (the date of the first edition)   through 1922.   The main page of the site has direct links/snapshots of newspapers from some of the most important events covered during those years including the sinking of the Titanic, Lincoln’s assassination and the end of World War I, as well as a “100 years ago today” link.   These pages and stories are available for the general population to peruse. When you click on one of the newspapers, then hover over the story you want to look at, you can click on a link to a PDF of the actua...

These are resources I've shared with my teachers over the last few months for Science & Math. Children’s Literature & Science If you’re looking for a way to introduce a science topic, or want to add some opportunity for cross-curricular planning, check out “Using Children’s Literature to Teach Science” by Patricia Bishop McKean.   Click through the links in gray on the right side of the screen to see the book suggestions.   She has lists for topics dealing with: Earth Science and Astronomy, Math Connections, Physics, Chemistry, & Process Skills.   For each book listed, when you click on the link, you will find a summary of the book and some lesson activities.   You could, for example use The Cat in the Hat , in honor of Read Across America Week, as an introduction to force & inertia .   By examining the end of the story and the Cat’s apparent magical manner of clea...